JK and Joel
Encyclopedia
Jason King
(né Griffiths) and Joel Ross
(né Hogg), known professionally as JK and Joel, are a radio show presenters and are best known for hosting the official UK chart
on BBC Radio 1
between 2004 and 2007 and then presented on Virgin Radio UK
, from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. at weekends and covering the breakfast and hometime shows. They currently present CBBC
show Hider in the House
.
to present the overnight programme. King was hosting the afternoon show at the time. In 1998 King took over the breakfast show and Ross, who was on the afternoon programme, later began reading the travel bulletins on the show. Eventually the two were paired up as co-hosts and together they won a both a bronze and silver award at the acclaimed Sony Radio Awards in 2000 for Best Breakfast show.
They left Viking FM to join Key 103
in Manchester in 2000, taking over from Mike Toolan as hosts of the breakfast show where they won a further 3 Sony radio awards, GOLD for UK best breakfast show, SILVER for UK's best presenters and Bronze for the competition award. Joel was sacked from Key 103, agreeing to join Radio 1 towards the end of 2003, after turning up three hours late for work, while JK saw out the remainder of his contract with Key 103 presenting the breakfast show alone before joining Radio 1 in 2004. However, Joel came back to present their final breakfast show together.
They went on to join BBC Radio 1 in Spring of 2004. They initially hosted a weekend afternoon programme before moving to the Radio 1 Chart show in March 2005. They also presented the early breakfast show every Monday - Thursday from 4:00 a.m. – 7:00 a.m. replacing Nemone Metaxas who left to join BBC 6 Music
. They did not host the early breakfast show on a Friday, to compensate for their Sunday chart show and TV commitments, being replaced by Fearne Cotton
and Reggie Yates
of Top of the Pops
fame, who presented the BBC Radio 1
Chart Show together until the latter part of 2009 when Fearne Cotton
was given her own daytime show. Reggie Yates
now presents the Chart Show on his own.
They have also hosted programmes for BBC Three
, Pure Soap, and Men & Motors
. Joel distinguished himself by winning Channel 5's 2005 Britain's Worst Celebrity Driver
competition on September 25, 2005, despite the best efforts of JK, his co-driver. They were also seen every Sunday morning on CBBC
on Escape from Scorpion Island
on BBC Two
. They took over from Reggie Yates
and Caroline Flack
who hosted the first series. JK and Joel were the presenters of both series 2 and series 3 of Escape from Scorpion Island
.
In January 2006, the duo won a "celebrity pairings" edition of The Weakest Link
, raising £12,900 for the Five Stars Scanner Appeal, a children's charity
they had supported while working in Manchester.
In February 2007 JK and Joel appeared on Virgin Media TV channel 999, 'Virgin iD' introducing the new features of the cable service.
In February 2007 the two men became presenters of the award winning CBBC
show Hider in the House
, where a celebrity has to be hidden in a house, without one parent finding out. The children involved must undergo a series of tasks to win prizes which they will receive if the parent doesn't find the celebrity. The last episode in the series of 20 finished at the end of June 2007. The second series of 22 episodes is still running on Sunday mornings on BBC2 at 9am and is the most watched kids programmes on the channel.
On 7 July 2007, JK and Joel launched on ITV
with their new show music quiz show Sing It Back: Lyric Champion
.
In October 2007 by mutual decision and on good terms they left Radio 1 but continue to have strong ties with the BBC as presenters. Their last show being the chart show on September 30. They were replaced by Greg James
in the early breakfast slot,who the pair said on the record that "Greg is the next big thing in radio" and taking over the chart show were good friends Fearne
& Reggie
.
They then joined Virgin Radio
presenting their 10am - 1pm slot at weekends, but decided to leave the station in the later part of 2008 following the radio stations take over and subsequent rebranding as Absolute Radio.
Between 2008 and 2009, the pair presented series 2 and 3 of Escape from Scorpion Island
on ABC
in Australia
and the BBC
in the United Kingdom
. They hosted the first series of My Camp Rock
on the Disney Channel in the UK and Ireland
in 2009.
JK and Joel made a return to radio in early 2009, covering shows on Manchester
's Key 103
and Leeds' 96.3 Radio Aire
. In July 2009, it was announced that the duo would permanently take over the breakfast show from Simon Logan on Radio Aire. They made their debut on July 20.
In 2010 Jk and Joel Presented Party in the park
Leeds in front of 70,000 people and live on Radio Aire
They also presented JK and Joel's Saturday Night Thing on the Bauer Place stations until July 2011.
Their new TV show Remote Control Star launched on BBC in early 2011.
In August 2011, JK and Joel signed to the Capital FM
network.
Jason King (radio)
"JK" is a Sony Gold awarding winning British radio DJ and Rose D'Or award winning TV presenter of programmes such as Hider in the House and Escape from Scorpion Island with friend and long-time colleague Joel Ross...
(né Griffiths) and Joel Ross
Joel Ross
Joel Ross is a British radio DJ. Along with Jason King he presented the coveted UK Top 40 show on BBC Radio 1 each Sunday from March 2005 to October 2007...
(né Hogg), known professionally as JK and Joel, are a radio show presenters and are best known for hosting the official UK chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
on BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
between 2004 and 2007 and then presented on Virgin Radio UK
Virgin Radio
Absolute Radio is one of the UK's three Independent National Radio stations. The station rebranded to its current name at 7.45am on 29 September 2008.The station is based in London and plays popular rock music...
, from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. at weekends and covering the breakfast and hometime shows. They currently present CBBC
CBBC
CBBC is one of two brand names used for the BBC's children's television strands. Between 1985 and 2002, CBBC was the name given to all the BBC's programmes on TV for children aged under 14...
show Hider in the House
Hider in the House
Hider in the House was a British children's game show presented by Jason King and Joel Ross . In the programme, a celebrity had to be hidden in a family's house by three children and a parent. If the family have fewer than three children, they use friends or related children to make up the numbers...
.
Career
The two first worked together at Viking FM in Kingston upon Hull from 1996 when Ross joined the station from Yorkshire Coast RadioYorkshire Coast Radio
Yorkshire Coast Radio is an Independent Local Radio station based in the seaside resort of Scarborough, North Yorkshire. YCR is officially two Ofcom licenses, one for Scarborough and Whitby in North Yorkshire and one for Bridlington in the East Riding of Yorkshire.-History:For many years several...
to present the overnight programme. King was hosting the afternoon show at the time. In 1998 King took over the breakfast show and Ross, who was on the afternoon programme, later began reading the travel bulletins on the show. Eventually the two were paired up as co-hosts and together they won a both a bronze and silver award at the acclaimed Sony Radio Awards in 2000 for Best Breakfast show.
They left Viking FM to join Key 103
Key 103
Key 103 is an Independent Local Radio station broadcasting to the city of Manchester and the north west of England. Its output is principally contemporary pop and dance music. Formerly owned by Trans World Communications, EMAP and now by Bauer Radio, Key 103 is part of Bauer's Place Network of...
in Manchester in 2000, taking over from Mike Toolan as hosts of the breakfast show where they won a further 3 Sony radio awards, GOLD for UK best breakfast show, SILVER for UK's best presenters and Bronze for the competition award. Joel was sacked from Key 103, agreeing to join Radio 1 towards the end of 2003, after turning up three hours late for work, while JK saw out the remainder of his contract with Key 103 presenting the breakfast show alone before joining Radio 1 in 2004. However, Joel came back to present their final breakfast show together.
They went on to join BBC Radio 1 in Spring of 2004. They initially hosted a weekend afternoon programme before moving to the Radio 1 Chart show in March 2005. They also presented the early breakfast show every Monday - Thursday from 4:00 a.m. – 7:00 a.m. replacing Nemone Metaxas who left to join BBC 6 Music
BBC 6 Music
BBC 6 Music is one of the BBC's digital radio stations, was launched on 11 March 2002 and originally codenamed Network Y. It was the first national music radio station to be launched by the BBC in 32 years....
. They did not host the early breakfast show on a Friday, to compensate for their Sunday chart show and TV commitments, being replaced by Fearne Cotton
Fearne Cotton
Fearne Cotton is an English television and radio presenter who is known for presenting a number of popular TV programmes such as Top of the Pops and the Red Nose Day telethon. In 2007, she became the first regular female presenter of BBC Radio 1's Chart Show...
and Reggie Yates
Reggie Yates
Reginald "Reggie" Yates is a British actor, television presenter and radio DJ of Ghanaian descent. He went to Central Foundation Boys' School.-Early career:...
of Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops, also known as TOTP, is a British music chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly from 1 January 1964 to 30 July 2006. After 25 December 2006 it became a radio program, now hosted by Tony Blackburn...
fame, who presented the BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
Chart Show together until the latter part of 2009 when Fearne Cotton
Fearne Cotton
Fearne Cotton is an English television and radio presenter who is known for presenting a number of popular TV programmes such as Top of the Pops and the Red Nose Day telethon. In 2007, she became the first regular female presenter of BBC Radio 1's Chart Show...
was given her own daytime show. Reggie Yates
Reggie Yates
Reginald "Reggie" Yates is a British actor, television presenter and radio DJ of Ghanaian descent. He went to Central Foundation Boys' School.-Early career:...
now presents the Chart Show on his own.
They have also hosted programmes for BBC Three
BBC Three
BBC Three is a television network from the BBC broadcasting via digital cable, terrestrial, IPTV and satellite platforms. The channel's target audience includes those in the 16-34 year old age group, and has the purpose of providing "innovative" content to younger audiences, focusing on new talent...
, Pure Soap, and Men & Motors
Men & Motors
Men & Motors was a men's lifestyle television channel in the UK. It was the last remaining station operated by the former Granada Sky Broadcasting joint venture, set up by Granada Television and satellite broadcaster British Sky Broadcasting in 1996...
. Joel distinguished himself by winning Channel 5's 2005 Britain's Worst Celebrity Driver
Britain's Worst Celebrity Driver
Britain's Worst Celebrity Driver was a five Game show, in which six British celebrities had to perform various challenges to prove their driving prowess. The show was presented by Quentin Willson for both series, with Jenni Falconer joining as co-host for the second.-Series 1:The first series of...
competition on September 25, 2005, despite the best efforts of JK, his co-driver. They were also seen every Sunday morning on CBBC
CBBC
CBBC is one of two brand names used for the BBC's children's television strands. Between 1985 and 2002, CBBC was the name given to all the BBC's programmes on TV for children aged under 14...
on Escape from Scorpion Island
Escape from Scorpion Island
Escape from Scorpion Island is a BAFTA-nominated BBC children's TV adventure game show in which contestants try to 'escape from an exotic island with a mind of its own' by doing various challenges to improve their chances of escaping. Series 1 was made by RDF Television for CBBC...
on BBC Two
BBC Two
BBC Two is the second television channel operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It covers a wide range of subject matter, but tending towards more 'highbrow' programmes than the more mainstream and popular BBC One. Like the BBC's other domestic TV and radio...
. They took over from Reggie Yates
Reggie Yates
Reginald "Reggie" Yates is a British actor, television presenter and radio DJ of Ghanaian descent. He went to Central Foundation Boys' School.-Early career:...
and Caroline Flack
Caroline Flack
Caroline Louise Flack is a British television presenter. She is known for presenting I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! NOW! from 2008 to 2010....
who hosted the first series. JK and Joel were the presenters of both series 2 and series 3 of Escape from Scorpion Island
Escape from Scorpion Island
Escape from Scorpion Island is a BAFTA-nominated BBC children's TV adventure game show in which contestants try to 'escape from an exotic island with a mind of its own' by doing various challenges to improve their chances of escaping. Series 1 was made by RDF Television for CBBC...
.
In January 2006, the duo won a "celebrity pairings" edition of The Weakest Link
The Weakest Link
The Weakest Link is a television game show which first appeared in the United Kingdom on BBC Two on 14 August 2000 and will end its run in 2012 when its host Anne Robinson ends her contract. The original British version of the show airs around the world on BBC Entertainment...
, raising £12,900 for the Five Stars Scanner Appeal, a children's charity
Charitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
they had supported while working in Manchester.
In February 2007 JK and Joel appeared on Virgin Media TV channel 999, 'Virgin iD' introducing the new features of the cable service.
In February 2007 the two men became presenters of the award winning CBBC
CBBC
CBBC is one of two brand names used for the BBC's children's television strands. Between 1985 and 2002, CBBC was the name given to all the BBC's programmes on TV for children aged under 14...
show Hider in the House
Hider in the House
Hider in the House was a British children's game show presented by Jason King and Joel Ross . In the programme, a celebrity had to be hidden in a family's house by three children and a parent. If the family have fewer than three children, they use friends or related children to make up the numbers...
, where a celebrity has to be hidden in a house, without one parent finding out. The children involved must undergo a series of tasks to win prizes which they will receive if the parent doesn't find the celebrity. The last episode in the series of 20 finished at the end of June 2007. The second series of 22 episodes is still running on Sunday mornings on BBC2 at 9am and is the most watched kids programmes on the channel.
On 7 July 2007, JK and Joel launched on ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
with their new show music quiz show Sing It Back: Lyric Champion
Sing It Back: Lyric Champion
Sing It Back: Lyric Champion is a British television series on ITV, in which contestants were challenged to sing missing lyrics from popular songs to win a dream holiday. Radio 1 DJs JK and Joel presented, while adjudicator Paul Gambaccini had the final say on any disagreements...
.
In October 2007 by mutual decision and on good terms they left Radio 1 but continue to have strong ties with the BBC as presenters. Their last show being the chart show on September 30. They were replaced by Greg James
Greg James (DJ)
Greg James is a British radio DJ at BBC Radio 1.Having previously had experience at BBC Radio Norfolk and Galaxy North East, James started presenting the Early Breakfast show in October 2007, replacing the previous incumbents of the slot, JK and Joel...
in the early breakfast slot,who the pair said on the record that "Greg is the next big thing in radio" and taking over the chart show were good friends Fearne
Fearne Cotton
Fearne Cotton is an English television and radio presenter who is known for presenting a number of popular TV programmes such as Top of the Pops and the Red Nose Day telethon. In 2007, she became the first regular female presenter of BBC Radio 1's Chart Show...
& Reggie
Reggie Yates
Reginald "Reggie" Yates is a British actor, television presenter and radio DJ of Ghanaian descent. He went to Central Foundation Boys' School.-Early career:...
.
They then joined Virgin Radio
Virgin Radio
Absolute Radio is one of the UK's three Independent National Radio stations. The station rebranded to its current name at 7.45am on 29 September 2008.The station is based in London and plays popular rock music...
presenting their 10am - 1pm slot at weekends, but decided to leave the station in the later part of 2008 following the radio stations take over and subsequent rebranding as Absolute Radio.
Between 2008 and 2009, the pair presented series 2 and 3 of Escape from Scorpion Island
Escape from Scorpion Island
Escape from Scorpion Island is a BAFTA-nominated BBC children's TV adventure game show in which contestants try to 'escape from an exotic island with a mind of its own' by doing various challenges to improve their chances of escaping. Series 1 was made by RDF Television for CBBC...
on ABC
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. They hosted the first series of My Camp Rock
My Camp Rock
My Camp Rock is a singing competition based on the Disney Channel Original Movie, Camp Rock. Two series have been broadcast in the United Kingdom and two series in 2009 and 2010 in Sweden, Denmark and Norway as My Camp Rock Scandinavia...
on the Disney Channel in the UK and Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
in 2009.
JK and Joel made a return to radio in early 2009, covering shows on Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
's Key 103
Key 103
Key 103 is an Independent Local Radio station broadcasting to the city of Manchester and the north west of England. Its output is principally contemporary pop and dance music. Formerly owned by Trans World Communications, EMAP and now by Bauer Radio, Key 103 is part of Bauer's Place Network of...
and Leeds' 96.3 Radio Aire
96.3 Radio Aire
96.3 Radio Aire is the main Independent Local Radio station for Leeds and West Yorkshire. It is the sister station of Magic 828. The station is owned & operated by Bauer Radio and forms part of Bauer's Place Network of stations.-History:...
. In July 2009, it was announced that the duo would permanently take over the breakfast show from Simon Logan on Radio Aire. They made their debut on July 20.
In 2010 Jk and Joel Presented Party in the park
Party in the Park
Party in the Park is the generic name given to music concerts organised by various radio stations and local authorities in England and Wales, typically in large parks during the summer.-Leeds' Party in the Park:...
Leeds in front of 70,000 people and live on Radio Aire
96.3 Radio Aire
96.3 Radio Aire is the main Independent Local Radio station for Leeds and West Yorkshire. It is the sister station of Magic 828. The station is owned & operated by Bauer Radio and forms part of Bauer's Place Network of stations.-History:...
They also presented JK and Joel's Saturday Night Thing on the Bauer Place stations until July 2011.
Their new TV show Remote Control Star launched on BBC in early 2011.
In August 2011, JK and Joel signed to the Capital FM
The Capital FM Network
Capital is a radio network of nine Independent Local Radio stations in the United Kingdom which are owned and operated by Global Radio, launching on 3 January 2011. Capital was previously known as Mix, One, Galaxy and Hit Music at various times...
network.